diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/device.py b/src/calibre/gui2/device.py
index b07d8fab8e..ec91e70257 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/device.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/device.py
@@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ class DeviceGUI(object):
                 prefix = ascii_filename(prefix)
                 names.append('%s_%d%s'%(prefix, id,
                     os.path.splitext(f.name)[1]))
-                if mi.cover and os.path.access(mi.cover, os.R_OK):
+                if mi.cover and os.access(mi.cover, os.R_OK):
                     mi.thumbnail = self.cover_to_thumbnail(open(mi.cover,
                         'rb').read())
             dynamic.set('news_to_be_synced', set([]))
@@ -752,7 +752,7 @@ class DeviceGUI(object):
         metadata = self.library_view.model().metadata_for(ids)
         ids = iter(ids)
         for mi in metadata:
-            if mi.cover and os.path.access(mi.cover, os.R_OK):
+            if mi.cover and os.access(mi.cover, os.R_OK):
                 mi.thumbnail = self.cover_to_thumbnail(open(mi.cover,
                     'rb').read())
         imetadata = iter(metadata)